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Looking for ideas for old dairy tanks.

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  • Looking for ideas for old dairy tanks.

    I have been home brewing for several years and would like to take the next step. Have a couple of old stainless steel dairy storage tanks that I would like to use in a brewery or distillery operation. Looking for ideas on how to set up an efficient operation using the tanks as fermenters? What are the pros and cons to using the old dairy tanks? Below is a picture of the tanks.

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  • #2
    Dairy tanks

    You'd be better off converting one into a mash tun and the other into a kettle using a blower or electric elements. Tom Hennessy wrote a great book called "Brewery Operations Manual" and he goes over making brewing equipment from stuff like this. It's also a great resource for starting your own brewery for very cheap. One thing that I must say as a professional brewer: Don't skimp on fermenters. Make sure they are in great shape, have the ability to cool with a glycol system, hold pressure, and have a conical bottom so you can reuse yeast and save a ton of money and hassle.
    Cheers and good luck!

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    • #3
      Thank you for the advice.

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      • #4
        Frankenbrew

        I would search for the Frankenbrew video from Tom Hennessy. His book is great and the video is just as good. I am in the process of getting a brewery going with old stainless steel tanks and some milk tanks. The video showed me that I did not need a ton of cash for equipment.
        Greg Schertzer
        Howling Henry's Brewery, LLC
        info(at)howlinghenrysbrewery.com

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        • #5
          Dairy Tanks

          I agree with most of what was said, but I do think they make great fermenters too. You just need to keep them in a separate room. But the inside finish is better than most of the stuff coming out of China and they are already jacketed, so you just hook them up to your glycol system. I used three of them for fermenters in a brewery I did in Colorado Springs and we made great beer (I think) out of them. Also they make good hot liquor tanks. If you choose a dairy tank for a kettle, get a round one so you can whirl pool. You can use the glycol jackets for low pressure steam, or use an electric element, or skirt it and make it direct fire. Look at Sierra Nevadas first kettle. It was a dairy tank. Good luck!
          Tom Hennessy
          www.coloradoboy.com
          Author of The Brewery Operations Manual
          Author of Colorado Boy Brewery Standard Operating Procedures (S.O.P.)

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          • #6
            Looks like a Coolship to me!
            Kyle Kohlmorgen
            Process/Automation Consultant
            St. Louis, MO

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            • #7
              Originally posted by tomhennessy View Post
              I agree with most of what was said, but I do think they make great fermenters too. You just need to keep them in a separate room. But the inside finish is better than most of the stuff coming out of China and they are already jacketed, so you just hook them up to your glycol system. I used three of them for fermenters in a brewery I did in Colorado Springs and we made great beer (I think) out of them. Also they make good hot liquor tanks. If you choose a dairy tank for a kettle, get a round one so you can whirl pool. You can use the glycol jackets for low pressure steam, or use an electric element, or skirt it and make it direct fire. Look at Sierra Nevadas first kettle. It was a dairy tank. Good luck!
              Bought your book this week. Good to know the tanks can be used. Why do the fermenter need to be kept in a separate room?

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              • #8
                Originally posted by Howling Henry View Post
                I would search for the Frankenbrew video from Tom Hennessy. His book is great and the video is just as good. I am in the process of getting a brewery going with old stainless steel tanks and some milk tanks. The video showed me that I did not need a ton of cash for equipment.
                Watched the video today. Thank you for the input.

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                • #9
                  I am currently building a brewery basically out of dairy tanks, finding that is much harder then I had anticipated but I would have some good pointers. PM me if you have any specific questions.

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